Fruit-picker.



PATENTED MAB.. 24, 1903'.

D. C. EBERHART.

FRUIT PICKER. APPLIoATIoN FILED H1B. 4, 1902.

lo MODEL.

elften/m13;

ma mams crans cp. rumoumm wAsnmnmN, D4 c.

.lower circumferential grooved tube.-

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

DAVID c. EBERHART,'F sHREwsBURY, PENNSYLVANIA.

FRUIT-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,658, dated March24, 1903.

Application tiled February 4, 1902.u Serial No. 92.545. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID C. EBERHART,

a citizen of the United States, residing at on a slightly-elevatedplatform; and the obl ject of the same is to provide a simple andeective device which may be projected or disposed to gather fruit on thetop of the highest branches of a tree and having means in connectiontherewith for severing the fruit in the event of'resistance encounteredthrough the toughness of the stems and to permit the fruit as itdescends to be gently directed into a receptacle, and thereby materiallyfacilitate picking or gathering fruit without injury to the same. n

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed. v

In the drawings,'Figure l is a perspective view of a fruit-picker,showing the conveying-tube, handle, and operating-cord broken away and apart of the mechanism in dotted lines to show the operation thereof.Fig. 2 is a rear elevation ofthe upper portion of the picker.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the views. The numeral l designates an elongated head formed ofsuitable metal and having a This lower grooved end of the head l isfitted in the upper terminal 2, ot' suitable textile or other materialand of such length as to depend to the ground surface or the surface ofa platform ou which the operator may stand to direct the fruit into abarrel or other depository. The head l also has asocket 3 extendingdownwardly therefrom at an outward angle of inclination and receives theupper end of a handle 4, which stands at a corresponding angle forconvenience in operating the picker or gatherer. The said handle 4 willalso be of such length as to permit the operator to project the head 1lupwardly the center of the lip 5.

to the highest. portions of limbs or branches of a tree in performingthe picking or gathering operation with the improved device.

The head 1 has its upper end cut away to provide a projectinggathering-lip 5, which will have a sharpened edge for use in severingthe stems of the fruit, it being observed that the said lip is in aplanediametrically opposite the application of the handle 4 to the head l, sothat the fruit as severed will pass down over the said lip into the headand from the latter into the conveying-tube 2.

At the upper endof the head l and coperating with the l-ip 5 is a picker6, formed of a piece of stift' wire having a certain amount ofresiliency and bent into shape to produce opposite looped arms 7, Awhichcontinue into a central guard-loop 8, which normally projects over andbears against the upper edge of the head 1 at a point diametricallyopposite The outer members of the arms 7 depend to a point slightlybelow the points of intersection of the side edges of the lip 5 with theupper edge of the head 1 `and are bent horizontally straight to formfulcrums 9, which are passed through the head, and from the said fulcrumthe opposite members of the-arms are continued into rearwardly-bentelements 10,with upstanding terminals 1l, having eyes l2. To the eyes 12the upper ends of pull-cords 13 are secured and are then directed to thefront of the head l and are passed through a guard-loop 14, the saidcords being of such length as to be within easy reach of the operatorbelow. The picker 6 is normally held in the position shown by full linesin Fig. l, and by pulling down- Wardly on the cords 14 said picker willbe thrown rearwardly against or close to the lip 5, as shown by dottedlines. The function of the said picker is to release or separate thefruit-stems which offer a resistance to ready breakage or those stems towhich the fruit firmly clings. head 1 is pushed upwardly until the fruitrests within the area of the lip.5, and the said picker is then pulledover into the position shown by dotted lines, so that the arms will beabove the top portion of the fruit,

ln the use of this picker the IOO the stom then passing into theguard-loop S.

on the entire device will cause the said arms to detach the fruit, whichwill then fall through the head 1 and into the tube 2. To maintain thepicker 6 in the normal position shown by Fig. 1, a spring 15 isemployed, and consists of an upper looped end 16, firmly held by aclip-plate 17 against the rear side of the lip 5 at the center. Freinthe loops 16 opposite curved arms 18 depend and terminally extend aroundand upwardly, as at 19, and have their ends secured to the eyes 12 ofthe elements 10, continuous with the arms 7 of the picker. WVhen thecords 13 are operated to throw the picker over to the rear, as shown bydotted lines, the said picker moves against the resistance of the spring15, constructed and ar ranged as set forth, and the said picker is heldagainst a complete overthrow in a forward direction by the lower end ofthe guardloop 8 bearing` upon the upper edge of the head 1. K

Where the fruit is thick and the gathering operation can be rapidlycarried on by simply shifting or turning the head l at different anglesWithin a given area, it is proposed to apply an attachment for relievingthe operator of the tiresome weight and movement that would result froma continual uplifting or upward movement of the entire device. Thisattachment consists of a hook 20, which is loosely attached to `theguard-loop 1L and is adapted to be placed over a limb or branch, andthereby support the greater portion of the weight of the device lopermit the'operator to move the head l at different angles without theinconvenience of elevating the entire device, as previously set forth.

The improved picker will be found exceptionally useful and save laborand time in picking or gathering fruit.

It is intended that the head 1 be constructed of such metal as to resistcorrosion or be formed of a metal treated With a coating ofnon-corrosive material. The proportions and size of the various partsmay also be modified at will, and in view of the few parts comprised inthe construction of the device the cost of manufacture will be reducedto a minimum.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1.A fruit picker or gatherer comprising a tubular head having a lip at theupper end thereof, a picker inovably mounted adjacent to and cooperatingwith the said lip, the said picker being located below the plane of theupper edge of the lip and adapted to bea-r against the inner surface ofthe latter, means for conveying the fruit from the head and manipulatingthe latter, and means for operating the said picker.

2. A fruit picker or gatherer comprising a head having a projecting lipat its upper end disposed vertically Within the contines of the saidhead, a spring-controlled picker coperating with the saidlip and havingopposite looped arms with a space between them and continuing into acentral guard-loop which normally bears upon the upper edge of the head,a pull device connected to the terminals of the picker and located onthe exterior ol the head, and means for conveying the fruit from thehead and for supporting the latter.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.V

DAVID C. EBERHA'R'F.

W i tn esses:

JAMES GERRY, L. E. BoEssER.

